Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-07-21

hope that some native might come l.ere and
nelp lis away, but none have come Only
last night we settled that Jim should leave
Inc, and try to reach Oitanda'S kraal and get
assistance. lie was to go tomorrow, but |
nad little nope OF seeing him back again.
Amt now you, of ali people IN the world,
you, who L Iancled hau long ago forgotten
all auout me, and were living comfortably In
old --nsiand, turn up III a proLniScaOlS way
and iIiid NE where you least expected Ii ID
the most wonderful thing I ever heard of.
and the most merciful too
Then Sir Henry set to work and told him
the main facts OF our adventures, sitting till
late in the night to DO it.
''By Jover' he said, when l showed him
some of the diamonds, well, at least you
have got something for your pains, besides
my worth leSs SELF
Sir Henry laughed. 'They belong to
Quatermain and Good. 1t was part of the
bargain that they should share any spOils
there might be-"
This remark set me thinking, and having
spoken to Good l told Sir Henry that it was
our unanimous wish that he should take a
third share of the diamonds, or if he would
not, that his share should be handed to his
brother, who had suffered even more than
ourselves on the chance Of getting them.
Finally we prevailed upon him to consent
to this arrangement, but George Curtis did
not know Of it till some time afterward.
e x x
And here, at this point, think L shall
finish this history. Our journey across the
desert back to Sitanda'S Kraal was most
arduOus, especially as we had to support
weak indeed, and continually throwing out
splinters of bone; but we did accomplish it
somehow, and to give its details would only
be to reproduce much of what had happened
to us on the former occasion.
Six months from the date OF our reArrival
of Slt0n60'S fOnpd anI ntbpr
goods quite safe. though the Old scoundrel i'll
charge was much disguised at our surviving
to claim them, saw us all once more safe and
sound at my little place on the Berea near
whence [ bid farewell to all who have ac-
c0mpanied me throughout the strangeSt trip
| ever made in the course of long and
varied experience.
Just as l had written the last word, a Ka-
fir came up my avenue Of Orange-treeS with
letter in a cleft stick, which he had
brought from the post. 1t turned out to be
from Sir Henry, and as it speaks for itself, |
give it in full.
"Brayey Hall, Yorkshire.
''MY DEAR QUATERMAN,- sent you a
line few mails back to say that the three
of us, George, Good, and myself, fetched UP
all right in England. We got off the bsat at
Southampton, and went up to town. You
should have seen what a swell Good turned
out the very next day, beautifully shaved
frock coat fitting like glove, brand new
eyeglasS, etc, etc. l went and walked in
the park with him, where met some people
| knew, and at once told them the story OF
his beautiful legs
He is furious, especially as some i'll
natured person has printed it in a society
paper.
diamonds to Streeter's to be valued, as we
arranged, and l am really afraid to tell YOU
what they put them at, it seems SO enor-
nous. They say that Of course it's more or
less guesS-W0rk. as such stones have never
to their knowledge been put on the market
in anything like such quantities. 1t appears
that they are with the exception of one or
two Of the largeSD of the finest water, and
equal in every way to the best Brazilian
stones. | asked them if they would buy
them, but they said it was beyond their
power to do so, and recommended US to sell
by degrees, for fear we should flood the
market. They offer, however, hundred
and eighty thousand for q small portion Of
them.
You must come home, Quatermain, and
see about these things, especially if you in
slSt upon making the magnificent present of
the third share, which does not belong to
me, to my brother George. AS for Good, he
is DO good His time is too much occupied
In shaving, and other matters connected
with the vain adjoining Of the body. But |
think he is still down on his luck about Fou-
Iata. He told me that since he had been
home Tat he hadn't seen q woman to touch
her, either as regards her figure or the sweet
hess of her expression.
Il want you to come home, nav dear old
comrade, and buy place near here. You
have done your days work, and have lots Of
money now, and there is a place for sale
quite close which would suit you admirably.
DO come; the sooner the better; you can fin
ish writing the story of cur adventures on
board ship. We have refused to tell the
story till 1t Is written by you, for fear that
we shall not be believed. If you start on re-
ceipt Of this, you will reach here by Christ
man, and book you to stay with me for
that, Good is coming, and George, and So
by. the way, is your boy Harry there's a
bIibe for YOU. have had him down for a
weeks shooting and like him. He is a cool
Young hand; he shot me in the leg cut out
the pellets, and then remarked upon the adj
vantage OF having medical student in
every shooting party.
"Good-bye, old boy; can't say any more,
but / know that you will come, if it Is only
to oblge,
Your sincere friend,
HENRY CURTIS.
To-day is Tuesday. There Is a steamer
going on Friday, and | really think l must
take Curtis at his word and sail by her for
England, if it is only to see my boy Harry,
ana see about the printing OF this history,
which IS a task L do not like to trust to any
body else.